But who am I, and who are my people, that we could give anything to You? Everything we have has come from You, and we give You only what You first gave us. We are here for only a moment, visitors and strangers in the land as our ancestors were before us. Our days on earth are like a passing shadow, gone so soon without a trace. 1 Chronicles 29:14-15
Reading is one of my favorite things to do. I especially love reading a book that someone recommended to me. Sometimes when someone recommends a book to me, they also let me borrow that book from them. When I read someone else's book, I am very careful with it. With my own books, I doggy ear the pages, highlight, and write in them. With other people's books, I use a bookmark, and I never write or highlight in them. Why am I so careful with someone else's book? It's simple: it's not mine. 1 Chronicles 29 serves as a reminder that when we stop and think about it, the same is true with our finances: They are not ours because they belong to God.
In 1 Chronicles 29, David's son Solomon is preparing to be the king of Israel. David speaks to the people of Israel about Solomon's impending reign and the fact that he will be the one to build a temple for God. As David talks about the gifts and treasures he is giving to God for the temple in verse 16, he declares that everything he has is from God and belongs to God. Because of that, he can let go of his material treasures and possessions in order to give them back to God, the one to whom the treasures and possessions truly belong. He does this joyfully and gladly, happy to give back his wealth to the Lord.
When you consider your finances, do you view them as yours, or do you acknowledge the fact that they are from God and belong to Him in the first place? Understanding that our money belongs to God and is a gift from Him is the first step in making wise financial decisions. You see, we tend to be much more careful and deliberate when handling someone else's things, and handling God's money and material possessions is no different. All we have is His. How will you steward the financial gifts that He has given you?
Take a moment and consider the fact that everything you have, including your finances, belongs to God. Next, journal using this prompt: How does the knowledge that my finances are a gift from the Lord that belong to Him change the way I steward my finances? As you journal, commit to steward your finances carefully and wisely, just like the way you treat things that do not belong to you.
Then David praised the Lord in the presence of the whole assembly:
“O Lord, the God of our ancestor Israel, may you be praised forever and ever! Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O Lord, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as the one who is over all things. Wealth and honor come from you alone, for you rule over everything. Power and might are in your hand, and at your discretion people are made great and given strength.
“O our God, we thank you and praise your glorious name! But who am I, and who are my people, that we could give anything to you? Everything we have has come from you, and we give you only what you first gave us! We are here for only a moment, visitors and strangers in the land as our ancestors were before us. Our days on earth are like a passing shadow, gone so soon without a trace.
“O Lord our God, even this material we have gathered to build a Temple to honor your holy name comes from you! It all belongs to you! I know, my God, that you examine our hearts and rejoice when you find integrity there. You know I have done all this with good motives, and I have watched your people offer their gifts willingly and joyously.
“O Lord, the God of our ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, make your people always want to obey you. See to it that their love for you never changes. Give my son Solomon the wholehearted desire to obey all your commands, laws, and decrees, and to do everything necessary to build this Temple, for which I have made these preparations.”
Then David said to the whole assembly, “Give praise to the Lord your God!” And the entire assembly praised the Lord, the God of their ancestors, and they bowed low and knelt before the Lord and the king.
